Gas turbine cooling distribution system using the blade ring principle



1967 R. G H. WAUGH ETAL 3,295,823

GAS TURBINE COOLING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM USING THE BLADE RING PRINCIPLE Filed Oct. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig! INVENTORS ALVIN L. STOCK RAYMOND G.H. WAUGH BY L ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1967 R. G. H.WAUGH ETAL 3,295,823 GAS TURBINE COOLING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM USING THE BLADE RING PRINCIPLE Filed Oct. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ALVIN L. STOCK RAYMOND 6H. WAUGH United States Patent 3,295,823 GAS TURBINE COOLING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM USING THE BLADE RING PRINCIPLE Raymond G. H. Waugh, Media, and Alvin L. Stock, Wallingford, Pa, assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 495,739

7 Claims. (Cl. 253--39.1)

This invention relates to gas turbine apparatus and more particularly to improved blade ring structure for mounting the stationary blading in proper alignment with the turbine rotor blading.

The apparatus of this invention consists of a spaced outer and inner ring assembly which is supported by the turbine casing in a manner to provide for the passage of heat exchange fluid for effecting temperature control of the elements and to permit their expansion and contraction under temperature change. The ring assembly is disposed transversely of the rotor structure with the outer ring being connected to the casing structure and the inner ring mounting the stationary blades in a manner to extend radially inwardly in alignment with the rotor blades. The ring assembly and its connections with the casing are such that a heat exchange fluid, for example, coolant from the compressor of the turbine system, may be supplied to a chamber formed between the rings for passage into the stationary blades from which it is directed to the rotor blades. The blade ring is housed within the casing and these various structures are designed in a manner to permit access for repair and replacement. For this purpose, the rings and casing are formed in upper and lower half sections and the half sections are secured together in a manner to provide a fluid tight assembly for effectively utilizing the heat exchange fluid. Additionally, the stationary blades are formed in units which are removably secured to the inner ring in order to permit replacement, repair, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for mounting gas turbines stationary blades in a manner to improve the performance of the turbines.

Another object is directed to such apparatus which provides for the effective distribution of a heat exchange fluid for controlling the temperature of the turbine blading and associated turbine structure.

Another object is directed to such apparatus which permits requisite expansion and provides accessibility for inspection and repair of the turbine elements.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a partial sectional view of a turbine using the blade ring assembly and showing its positional relationship with other turbine structure.

FIGURE 2 is sectional view taken on the irregular line 22 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the rotary blading is represented by 2 blades shown at 10-10 which are mounted on disks 12 for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the turbine casing which is indicated at 14. The casing encloses other structure of a gas turbine system such as the compressor and combustion chamber which are not shown but would be positioned in the casing at one side of the disks and an exhaust section which would be positioned at the other side of the disks. The heated motive gases of the system pass through the blading in their movement from the combustion chamber to the exhaust section and their path of flow is an annular Zone which is defined by inner and outer liners indicated at ice L and L The stationary turbine blading is indicated at 16 and these are supported by the blade ring assembly and disposed in alternation with the rotary blades.

The blade ring assembly is' formed by inner and outer rings indicated at 18 and 20, respectively, which are assembled in spaced relation-to provide afluid compartment 22 therebetween. For this purpose the spacing is accomplished by transverse flanges 24 and 26 which extend from the inner ring and are connected to the outer ring 20 by bolt connections 27-27. 7

The outer ring 20 is provided with circumferenti'ally spaced apertures indicated at 28 and has spaced circumferential exterior ribs 30-30 extending along either side of the apertures. A support ring 32 forms part of the casing 14 and has depending flanges forming a groove 34 therebetween which receives the annular ribs 30 in close fitting relation; A dowel pin 36 has a cap 38 which is secured to the support ring 32, as shown in FIGURE 2, and is received in an'apertured block 40 which is welded between the ribs 30, as shown in FIGURE 1, for maintaining the support ring 32 and blade ring assembly-in relatively fixed position. a

The annular ribs-3030 and support ring 32 form a chamber 42 which communicates with the compartment 22 through the apertures 28, and the inner ring 18 is provided with circumferentially spaced apertures which receive hollow pins 44. The inner ring is of irregular shape forming outer ch-anels indicated at 46 which are spaced by acentral channel 48; Each of the outer channels 46 provide circular tongue and groove inner connections indicated generally at 50 which 7 receive mating tongue and groove outer connections indicated generally at 52 which are formed in the stationary blades.

The stationary blades 16 are formed into units consisting of a plurality of crescent like hollowvanes which have substantial width, as shown in FIGURE 1, and are relatively narrow; as shown in FIGURE 2. In FIG- URE 2, the stationary blades are shown as formed of an upper manifold 60, a lower or collection manifold 62, apertured distribution tubes 64 disposed within hollow vanes 66. This type of blade assembly is generally old in the art and is structurally designed for the purpose of transmitting aheat exchange medium from the distribution manifold 60 in heat conducting relation with the vanes and to the collection manifold 62 from which it is transmitted through apertures 68 in the collection manifold, as shown in FIGURE 1, to the stationary blades 10 and to other elements of the turbine.

As stated heretofore the stationary blade units are formed with outer tongue and groove connections 52 and these provide for the units to be received in the cooperating inner tongue and groove connectors 50 formed on the inner ring and permit the units to be removed as desired. The apertured pins 44 are spaced about the inner ring at desired intervals to function as loca-tors for the stationaryblade units 16 and also to function in the supply of the heat exchange fluid to the upper manifolds 60 of the units. In order to provide access to the blade units, the inner blade ring 18 is formed by an upper half section 18a and a lower half section 18b. These are provided respectively with outer flanges 7i) and 72 and are secured by bolt connecters 74. The outer blade ring 20 is formed of an upper half section 20a and a lower half section 20b and these are provided respective ly with flanges and 82. A metal support plate 84 is secured to the lower flange 82 by bolt connection 86 while the flanges are removably secured together by other bolt connecters 88. The plate 84 is formed with an outer lip 90 to function as will be described. The support ring 32 is formed by an upper half section 32a and a lower half section 32b which have upper and lower flanges 92 and 94. A key way or space 96 is formed in the lower flange 94 and shims 98-98 are fixed to the flanges 92 and 94 to receive the lip 90 of plate 84 therebetween to provide a fluid tight seal.

The blade ring assembly is secured to the liner L in a manner to minimize leakage of the coolant and permit expansive movement of the structure. In FIGURE 1 this is accomplished by means of an annular plate 100 bolted to flange 24 of the inner ring and having tongue and slot connection 102 with the liner L as shown. The flange 26 of the inner ring is provided with a tongue 104 at its lower portion and the liner L has a flexible rib 106 extending outwardly therefrom and has its outer edge clamped to the tongue 104 by means of a grooved ring 108. Additionally, the flange26 has its upper portion formed to provide a thin flexible area 110 which is secured by the bolt 27 to the outer flange.

Cool-ant may be supplied-as shown in the drawings by means of conduit system 120- which has one end communicating through the support ring 32 and its other end in communication with the compressor section of the turbine system. p

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims,- theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

. We claim: w I 1 1. In axial flow gas turbine apparatus including a casing having spaced concentric cylindrical inner and outer liners defining an annular path formotive fluid and having rotary blading disposed in the path, the improvement in mounting the stationary blading which comprises,

(a) a ring assembly of spaced inner and outer rings v forming an annular compartment therebetween,

(b) a first connecting means between the assembly and the outer liner positioning the assembly concentrically about the turbine blading zone,

(c) a second connecting means between the assembly and the casing,

(d) tongue and groove connecters formed in the outer periphery of the inner .ring,

(e) a plurality of stationary blade units formed of structure providing outer and inner manifolds interconnected by a group of hollow vanes,

(f) each outer manifold having tongue and groove connectors mating the tongue and groove connecters of the inner ring and permitting the blade units to be assembled circumferentialy thereof,

(g) an aperture in each outer manifold and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures in the inner ring aligned therewith and, i

(h) apertures in each inner manifold whereby heat exchange fluid from said annular compartment may be distributed to the rotary blading.

2. The improvement of claim 1, further characterized by the first connecting means being flexible to permit relative movement between the inner ring and the outer liner and the second connecting means comprising a tongue formed by a pair of spaced exterior circumferential ribs on the outer ring and received in a grooved support ring forming an element of the casing.

3. The improvement of claim 2, further characterized by an apertured area in the outer ring between the circumferential ribs and a conduit system communicating through the grooved support ring for supplying heat exchange fluid to the annular compartment formed by the ring assembly.

4. The improvement of claim 2, further characterized by means for interlocking the casing and the ring assembly which comprises an apertured block fixed between the circumferential ribs of the outer ring and a pin fixed to the grooved support and received in the apertured block.

5. The improvement of claim 1, further characterized by the inner ring of the assembly being formed of arcuate segments permitting the ready assembly of the blade units therein and having attaching means for removably securing the segments together.

6. The improvement of claim 5, further characterized by the outer ring of the assembly being formed of upper and lower sections having attaching means for removably securing the sections together along the horizontal diameter and the grooved support ring also being formed of upper and lower sections having attaching means for removably securing the sections together along the horizontal diameter.

7. The improvement of claim 6, further characterized by a conduit system communicating through the grooved support ring for supplying heat exchange fluid for passage through the annular compartment of the ring assembly and the stationary blading for distribution along the rotary blading.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,836,393 5/1958 Payne et al 25339.1 X 2,962,256 11/1960 Bishop 25378 X FOREIGN PATENTS 980,869 1/1951 France. 1,194,770 5/1959 France.

787,666 12/1957 Great Britain.

MARTIN P. SCHWADRON; Primary Examiner.

E. A. POWELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AXIAL FLOW GAS TURBINE APPARATUS INCLUDING A CASING HAVING SPACED CONCENTRIC CYLINDRICAL INNER AND OUTER LINERS DEFINING AN ANNULAR PATH FOR MOTIVE FLUID AND HAVING ROTARY BLADING DISPOSED IN THE PATH, THE IMPROVEMENT IN MOUNTING THE STATIONARY BLADING WHICH COMPRISES, (A) A RING ASSEMBLY OF SPACED INNER AND OUTER RINGS FORMING AN ANNULAR COMPARTMENT THEREBETWEEN, (B) A FIRST CONNECTING MEANS BETWEEN THE ASSEMBLY AND THE OUTER LINER POSITIONING THE ASSEMBLY CONCENTRICALLY ABOUT THE TURBINE BLADING ZONE, (C) A SECOND CONNECTING MEANS BETWEEN THE ASSEMBLY AND THE CASING, (D) TONGUE AND GROOVE CONNECTERS FORMED IN THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE INNER RING, 